Leighton Keith

He's an ordinary-looking teenager, but 13-year-old Jordan Nelson is now believed to be New Zealand's youngest murderer.

Nelson pleaded guilty in the High Court at New Plymouth yesterday to the murder of his caregiver, 50-year-old Rosemaree Kurth earlier this year.

Nelson was 13 years and 89 days old when he shot Ms Kurth in the back of the head with a .22 calibre rifle.

The nearest thing to a motive that the Crown could offer to the court was the fact that Ms Kurth had taken his Freeview TV receiver from him.

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The boy also admitted to police that sometimes "she would get shitty with me".

Taranaki Daily News research has been unable to uncover a younger murderer since a law change in 1977 allowed children over 10 to be charged with murder or manslaughter.

In 1991, another 13-year-old murdered 23-year-old nurse Rachel Bennett after entering her Wellington flat and stabbing her 15 times.

Nelson appeared before Justice Timothy Brewer in the High Court at New Plymouth charged with Ms Kurth's murder.

Ms Kurth, who had three children and three grandchildren, was found dead at a rural house on Piko Road, Okoki, on April 15, with a gunshot wound to her head.

Nelson had initially denied the charge and was due to stand trial later this month, but yesterday changed his plea.

Justice Brewer lifted name suppression for Nelson and Ms Kurth, which had been in place since the shooting.

Ms Kurth's family and Nelson's family were seated in the public gallery for his appearance.

Nelson, who was wearing black trousers and a collared shirt, stood with his head bowed for most of his appearance.

Crown solicitor Cherie Clarke said Nelson thought of Kerry Lock, who was in a relationship with Ms Kurth, as his grandfather and the three had lived at the address since September 2010.

Mr Lock had known Nelson since he was a baby.

Nelson's father lives in Stratford and his mother lives in Napier.

Miss Clarke said about a week before her murder, Nelson was annoyed when Ms Kurth had removed the Freeview box from his room.

Nelson seemed to enjoy the rural life and Mr Lock had taken him hunting and fishing and taught him to use a .22 calibre rifle which was kept at the property, she said.

On the morning of April 15, Nelson got the gun out of the closet and the ammunition from the drawers and placed them in the sleepout, while Mr Lock was out walking the dogs.

Miss Clarke said when Mr Lock again left the house about 3pm Nelson took the gun from the sleepout and shot Ms Kurth once in the back of the head while she worked on a jigsaw puzzle at the dining room table.